1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices used to process the remains of cremation for interment or disposal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, various devices have been utilized to process cremanted human remains for interment or for other permanent disposition. One device which presently is commercially available is a crematory ash pulverizer. This mechanism drives a rotor at a high speed within a processing chamber to pulverize crematory remains that are introduced through a chute or hopper. The pulverized particles fall for collection to an urn or other receptacle below. However, in such a device the high speed of processing generates considerable dust. Dust from pulverized cremation remains poses a health hazard to those in the vicinity, much the same as do fine particles of asbestos. Accordingly, the predominant present practice is to provide a vacuum pump to draw the dust from the pulverization chamber. Nevertheless, a certain amount of dust does escape from the pulverization chamber back up the opening at the feeder chute.
Another disadvantage of pulverizers which are currently available for use in processing crematory remains is that the cremation ashes must first be manually sifted for metal, as the high speed of the rotor will cause damage to the pulverizer mechanism if metal is introduced into the hopper. Some metal is recovered by dragging a magnet through the cremated remains. Stainless steel items, such as pacemaker parts, hip pins and other such articles are recovered in this fashion. On the other hand, a magnet will not recover gold and amalgam tooth fillings or copper or aluminum parts from pacemakers. In any event, metal items are frequently overlooked during the manual sifting process which is necessary prior to processing with conventional devices. When this occurs, the devices are apt to become damaged while pulverizing crematory remains. Moreover, the manual processing is unhealthful because of the dust which is sometimes produced when the cremated remains are disturbed. Furthermore, manual processing is a distasteful procedure to the individual performing it.
Other commercially available devices for processing cremation remains have also been utilized. These include a ball mill pulverizer and a hammer mill pulverizer. However, both of these alternative devices involve the same problems as the rotary pulverizer.